I'd be all for organic farming if humanity chose to live within its means and husband its resources, but since the human race is bent on endless expansion within finite limits, and conspicuous consumption of limited, non-renewable resources, agressive, industrialised, genetically modified, inhumane and chemically-enhanced farming practices are de rigueur, so that we may "postpone" the inevitable, biblical-scale famine that's to ensue.
Thus I see organic farming in the same light as vegetarianism, multi-vitamins, environmentally-friendly shopping bags and going to the gym; just another boutique industry that's sprung up cater to rich, selfishly self-obsessed consumers and sundry petty moralisers. The world cannot possibly feed the emerging billions via organic farming or free-range chickens etc., which are only produced to create comforting illusions for those who can afford them.
I prefer to face reality; that the capitalist juggernaut is a rapacious and relentless monster that accommodates localised and fortuitous delusions of humility.
Capitalism is the religion. All else is vanity.

>>it also looks and tastes a whole lot better than the crap sold at Coles, Woolies and many of the local fruit and veg stores around Perth.<<

Well of course it does. It's fresh. Woolworths might call themselves the fresh food people but their produce has sat in cold storage for some time before it is put on the shelves. Coles don't even bother pretending.

If you let your home-grown veg sit about for a few weeks after harvesting like retailers do with their organic produce it will lose flavour and nutritional value and end up the same as the organic or inorganic - what the hell is an inorganic vegetable anyway? - produce you might buy. But it's the time from harvest to the time of consumption that makes the difference not how it is grown.

Cheers,

Tony

tired,

I too had similar health issues. Mine were related to bowel cancer.

I now only eat organic foods and touch nothing with additatives or preservatives ... as well.

My experience is if I eat anything from coles or woolies my bowel pretty well instantly goes into irregular movements and/or produces constitutional oddities. (ie I don't c..p properly or with difficulty.)

To everyone else,

I have no particular religious beliefs, (only that before Higgs boson and the big bang there was still nothing and the universe is still expanding into nothing and that some call that nothing, which has no proven beginninng and has no proven end, god and others call it space. After spending the best part of 15 minutes debating the subject with my overly intellectual athiest son I'm now ambilivant ... and no wiser.)

I have no financial interests in or have anything to gain or lose from promoting or condemning research in chemical manufacture and biotechnical crop control or conventional farming nor a home garden (although I'd like one but it's difficult as I live on a yacht).

I laugh at global warmers and open marketeers equally... and will laugh at anyone who thinks I'm in any way odd or not entitled to express and share my experience or opinions..

Just to clarify a couple of the negative rants following my last post, I currently own 13 acres about 1.2 hours south-east of Perth, fairly marginal land. I am currently producing good food in an area that would typically fit on a normal suburban block.

I have no idea why so many of you have such a myopic view of attempting to reduce one's reliance on 'industrial agriculture' it's really not that difficult. It's also a great tonic when one wants to get away from the stress of everyday life, gardening is quite a peaceful and enjoyable habit to get into.

As for meat, I will increase my chicken and rabbit holdings soon and I also intend to experiment with a goat or two, and even perhaps a sheep, although I could just cross the road an nab a lamb or two from my farmer friend who has suggested I do just that.

I do not advocate that everyone can live the way I do, but a little forethought and work goes a long way.

As to being rich, far from it, I have spent my life's savings to get to where we are today and we live a very frugal but fruitful (excuse the pun) lifestyle, not for everyone I acknowledge, but one we as a family truly enjoy.

Squeers,

You're right that the planet hosts too many people, and mostly we're reliant of chemical induced monoculture to do it. But if you read that link on Indian Farmers you'll see that not all organic efforts are part of the boutique industry. India in particular has seen what happens when man thinks he can just keep taking from the soil without taking the time to care for it. Diversification, which was always part of traditional farming, has returned and it brings benefits to farmers who seek to look after their soils instead of leeching all the nutrients and organic matter out of it. Farmers in the third world have knowledge of myriad plants that they've always used to supplement subsistence crops - biodiversity is the life blood of traditional farming practice and that knowledge was under threat with the introduction of monoculture in these places.

It's all very well to "face reality" - but why should that stop people from having a go at organic production and good husbandry of the land. When life comes down to individual experience, why not seek a more authentic way of finding some meaning?

No doubt the world's is heading for a "correction", but that's no reason to lie down and let the juggernaut overwhelm you.

And here I was, all these years, thinking organic food tasted better. So much so that I get withdrawal symptoms when I don't get my organic spuds. I could swear they had more taste and a satisfying chewy texture, compared to soft insipid supermarket spuds that crumble blandly in your mouth.
And that taste of organic summer fruits that I could swear was so much sweeter and chewier than insipid supermarket fruit.
And the buzzing taste of homemade raw goats cheese... was that but an illusion?
Alas, I guess my "beliefs" were wrong all these years. My self-satisfaction was nothing but an illusion. *sigh* I guess we can't trust our senses anymore, eh? Lucky we have people like David L to tell us how we FEEL about our food, given our senses are apparently so unreliable these days...